Nepenthe
by EldritchSandwich
Summary: Change of Heart Series 15. The final episode of Series One of the Change of Heart saga. Xana's getting more creative by the minute, and just when things were going so well…


"Jim, Sissi, Yumi's dad, Milly and Tamiya…ever notice how everyone we clue into Lyoko handles it better than we possibly could have expected?"

Sissi smiled around the straw in her soda and glanced up at Ulrich. "You all just have good taste."

Jeremie shrugged. "Or good luck."

Odd stretched back against the park bench. "No, Sissi's right. In fact, maybe we should go tell Brandy right now…"

Sissi choked on her laughter. "Are you trying to make me jealous, Odd?"

Odd grinned sheepishly. Ulrich rolled his eyes. While he and Yumi had been guarded and uneasy at that point in their relationship, Odd and Sissi were acting like third graders—teasing, prodding, fluctuating between giggling and screaming at each other. If Sissi wore pigtails, he was sure Odd would be pulling them. Just for a moment, a thought entered his mind…how much she'd changed. She never used to joke like this, at least not as far as he knew.

Sissi grinned. "What?"

Ulrich finally realized that he had been staring at her. He shrugged away.

Odd chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, watch it, man, you had your chance, she's all mine now."

Sissi wrankled and squealed, pushing him off with an exaggerated smile. "Ew, don't touch me, you smell like wet dog!"

"I just gave Kiwi a bath." Odd extended his hands, laughing as Sissi leapt up from the bench. "Come here, my love, and share the beautiful embrace of the Dog King!"

Sissi shrieked, giggling. "Odd, stop it!"

As they danced around the bench, Sissi ducking away from Odd's outstretched hands, Ulrich smiled. Yumi leaned closer. "What is it?"

"She's different now, she really is."

Yumi glanced over at the couple as they dodged around the wooden seat. "You know, you're right. Good call, Jeremie."

He smiled and shrugged. "I knew she had it in her."

Ulrich linked his hand behind Yumi's waist and drew her closer across the bench. "You know, aside from the maniac computer virus trying to enslave all life on Earth, I think things turned out pretty well. I mean, to think of all the stuff that could have happened…"

Yumi smiled and wrapped her arm over his shoulder. It was true. "I think you were right, Jeremie. It's good luck."

He nodded, then paused as the laptop sitting on the cobblestone beside him began to buzz. Ulrich motioned Odd and Sissi over as the blond boy awakened the computer. "Aelita, what is it?"

"I felt some pulsations in the Mountains, Jeremie. Infrequent, but very strong. Xana's using a lot of power."

Jeremie nodded. "All right, Aelita, we'll be right there."

The fighters were already prepared to jog off into the forest, and Jeremie was about to close the laptop. "Jeremie?"

"Yes, Aelita?"

"I…I don't know what Xana's planning, but it's big. Be careful."

"Of course we will. You know that."

"I mean it. I…I don't want to lose you."

Jeremie smiled, blushing, into the round sylvan face staring back up at him. "I…I don't want to lose you either, Aelita."

Both waited, silent, just for a moment, then Ulrich cleared his throat and flicked his eyes toward the treeline. Jeremie nodded, with one last glance back at the screen, and shut the computer. He took Yumi's hand and, rocking to his feet, followed the rest of the group—his Gang—into the familiar patterns of the forest.

…

Jeremie slid into the control chair as the lift door whisked closed and the fighters continued down to the scanner room, chatting idly. "Aelita, we're here. I'm just about ready to send everyone in."

Aelita nodded. "Have you spotted the activated Tower?"

"I'm starting the scan now."

The fighters emptied into the scanner room. Ulrich leaned up toward the ceiling. "Okay, Jeremie, we're all here."

"Great. Aelita and I've pinpointed the Tower. Yumi, do you mind waiting while I send the others in?"

"Not at all." The commlink cut out. As Ulrich moved to enter the scanner, Yumi grabbed his hand and, delicately, planted a lingerling kiss on his lips. When he pulled back, she was smiling. "Have a good day at the office, dear."

Ulrich chuckled as he stepped into the open scanner—blushing. As the door clicked shut, Odd turned to Sissi. She cleared her throat. Each one leaned in, just a little at a time, then, suddenly very aware of Yumi's presence, pulled back.

"Good luck."

"Yeah, you too."

Yumi rolled her eyes as they stepped into opposite scanners. It was actually kind of cute.

"Transfer—Odd. Transfer—Ulrich. Transfer—Sissi. Scanner—Odd. Scanner—Ulrich. Scanner—Sissi. Virtualization."

Odd flipped three times before he hit the ground. They heard the buzzing even before Jeremie's 'Hornets!' registered. Without effort, without even thinking, Odd and Sissi fired a barage of metal into the oncoming monsters, knocking them from the air while Ulrich speared the one diving toward them. Odd chuckled. "Thanks for the warning, Einstein, but we've got it under control."

Aelita ran up as Yumi materialized. She almost shook her head as she watched the four of them fall into formation. They were only children, and here they were with as much discipline and dedication as she could expect from anyone. Her friends.

"The Tower's seventy degrees east of the path you're standing on."

Yumi grinned as they ran off along the narrow band of rock. "Let me guess, we should hurry?"

"Uh, well…"

"Jeremie?"

"Normally, I'd recommend that, but to be honest, I'm not sure what Xana's doing. None of the surface pathways are being used."

Odd shuddered exaggeratedly. Sissi giggled. "English translation, please?"

"Well, he's not trying to do anything on Earth. He has a Tower online, but as far as I can tell, he's not doing anything with it."

Ulrich shrugged. "I guess we're so good that he's not even trying anymore!"

"Oh, he's definitely trying. You've got four blocks coming up behind you."

Ulrich nodded to each side. "Cool, four of them, four of us. Last one to beat their blockhead's a rotten egg!"

Ulrich dove for the nearest block, but skidded to a stop as Yumi's fan sliced through its eye. He looked back, pouting. She blew him a kiss. Sissi flipped a shuriken into each hand and, lifting off from a stone wall, sunk each one into a white face. Ulrich slashed the third block across its Xana-symbol as Odd's arrows punctured the fourth. "You lose, Odd."

"What? No way, I fired before you started your slash."

"Yeah, but mine fell apart first. That's the rule."

"Oh, come on. Jeremie, you know I'm right."

Jeremie smiled. "I'm not getting involved in this. You kids have to learn to resolve your own problems."

Sissi nudged Yumi's shoulder. "They're so cute when they're like this."

Yumi grimaced. "Yeah, so cute it's annoying. Jeremie, how close are we to that Tower?"

"Not far. It should be just around the next mountain."

Yumi gestured for the boys to follow her as Aelita pulled ahead. "Jeremie, has Xana activated any of the surface pathways yet?"

"Nothing. I don't know what he's planning."

"Oh, you'll figure it out. You're the brainy type."

Odd hopped over a rock outcropping and pointed a paw at the red outline at the end of the winding path in front of them. "Well, you've got until we reach the Tower."

The crab in the way didn't slow the group down. Sissi rolled between the monster's legs and, when it turned, Ulrich leaped up with Yumi and Odd's boost and drove his sword into the red robot's back. Aelita grinned as she rushed forward into the Tower. "I think that must be a new record, Jeremie."

As Aelita faded into the Tower, she heard the last snippet of conversation. It was Odd. "So, what do you guys want to do for dinner tonight?"

Jeremie wrinkled his eyebrows as the side screen began to flash. "What the…"

AELITA

"Aelita, I'm getting some strange readings off that Tower. Don't—"

CODE LYOKO

…

"Who are you taking to the dance?"

Jeremie blinked. "Hm?" He looked up. Mike was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him.

"I said, who are you gonna take to the dance?"

Jeremie shrugged and leaned back down to tie his shoe. "I hadn't thought about it. I might ask Tania."

"Hadn't thought about it? Man, it's tomorrow night. There's no way I'm gonna let my roomie go stag."

"I don't even know if I'm going. It'd the save me the trouble of watching Yumi and Ulrich sling barbs at each other."

Mike nodded. He hadn't been at Kadic long enough to have seen their good period, but Jeremie'd told him they used to get along fine. "If you ask me, they're both acting like idiots." Jeremie nodded and lifted himself from his bed. "You ready?"

Jeremie nodded. "Let's get some breakfast."

Odd waved them over to the table where he and Yumi had just set down their trays. Mike slapped Odd's hand casually as they sat down to eat. "Hey, Odd, you hear that new Doctor Jackal song yet?"

Odd nodded and swallowed. "Yeah. It's not as good as their last album."

Giggling across the cafeteria drew their attention. Ulrich was sitting alone with Sissi, on the other side of the room, laughing. Odd could hear Yumi's teeth grating. "He's just doing it to get to you, you know that."

Yumi pushed herself up from the table. "I don't know what you're talking about." She slammed her tray down against the table, bits of scrambled egg bouncing onto the laminated surface. "Excuse me." She took a few steps away and, then, as an afterthought, leaned down and planted a brief kiss on Odd's cheek. She wasn't looking at him, though. She was looking across the room, at them.

Jeremie shook his head sadly. It used to be simpler. Then Theo showed up, Ulrich got jealous, Ulrich started dating Sissi to get back at Yumi, and it drove them apart. Sometimes he felt sorry for Ulrich. It might have been easier if he or Odd had gone with him. But everyone had made their choices, and it didn't make sense to start questioning them now. Still, every now and then Jeremie got a strange feeling. As if things weren't right, as if the world should be different.

"I still can't believe he'd do that." Odd was shaking his head in disgust.

"It's not just his fault, Odd. They both could have done things differently. Besides, what are you complaining about? You got the better end of the deal as far as I'm concerned."

Odd snorted. "She's just going out with me to get back at Ulrich." Odd didn't even like Yumi that way, but after crashing and burning with so many girls, being with her was comfortable. Safe.

Mike cleared his throat. "Wow, feel the joy in this room."

Odd looked back down at his plate. "Sorry. So, what are you guys doing for the dance?"

Aelita was panicking. She hadn't been able to stop the reboot sequence, hadn't been able to hear what problem Jeremie found with the Tower. He wasn't responding on any of the connections—it was is if the interface software wasn't even installed anymore. She'd lost him.

But maybe she hadn't lost all of them. Closing her eyes to the harsh orange of the desert, Aelita summoned the dialing program and recited Ulrich's cell number.

"I was thinking maybe we could have dinner before the dance. You know, something they don't serve on a plastic tray."

Sissi nodded. "Yeah, that would be great." Ulrich was trying, he really was. But she knew the truth. Even after seven months together, this was still just a way to get back at Yumi. It wasn't so much that he loved her, but that he hated Yumi. He didn't care about her, not really. But it was enough. Sometimes she could pretend. Even if it had cost her Brandy, Herb, and Nicolas, it was worth it just for the moments when he'd kiss her—even if it was only when Yumi was looking—and she could pretend. "I got the prettiest dress at Andre's. We'll look fantastic."

Ulrich's eyes dragged up across the room at the sound of the tray clattering to the table. Yumi was about to leave, then leaned in and pecked Odd on the cheek, looking at him all the while. Ulrich just hugged Sissi closer. It wasn't fair. It was her fault. If she hadn't been so coy with Theo, this never would have happened. It was her fault. His back pocket vibrated. Sliding away from Sissi, he dug in his pocket for the phone. "Hello?"

"Ulrich, thank goodness! I've been unable to contact any of you for over an hour."

"What? Who is this?"

"It…it's Aelita."

Ulrich squinted. Sissi raised her eyebrows and mouthed 'Who is it?' He shrugged. "I…I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number."

"Ulrich, this is no time to joke around. Something went wrong with the deactivation sequence. I haven't been able to reach Jeremie on any of his monitors."

Ulrich let out a sharp cough. "Oh, I get it, so I have to go crawling back and deliver the message to him, right? Let me guess, Odd put you up to this?"

"Ulrich, what's the matter with you? I need to talk to Jeremie!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Tell them nice try. And while you're at it, tell them to drop dead." She was still talking, but he pressed the power button.

Sissi looked over, wide-eyed. "Who was it?"

Ulrich shrugged and slipped the phone back into his pocket. "Just a stupid prank."

Aelita blinked as the connection severed, horrified. Something was very wrong.

…

Aelita rolled onto her hands, springing up over the row of Cockroaches as they filled the air around her with pink laser blasts. One of the monsters rotated to keep firing—the next robot got in its way. Aelita dodged behind a massive rock jutting out of the green grass as the Roach shattered. Aelita closed her eyes and, slowly, the monsters behind her faded into view. She smiled to herself, opened her mouth and let out a deep, resonant wail. She didn't have to look, she knew it had worked. She'd made sure to create the boulder less than two meters off the ground, so the monsters wouldn't have a chance to move out of the way. With the satisfying crunch of metal and the crackle of discharging energy, she started to run again. She'd been able to check the time coordinates Xana had made, and work out a solution, from the desert, but she needed an Anchor Tower to execute the second part of her plan. She hoped she wasn't too late—it had taken her over 24 hours just to hack into Xana's system and reset the coordinates.

The Crab detached its spindly legs from the tree and opened fire—Aelita rolled to the right. The monster tried to continue down the narrow fork she took, but, as it moved farther toward the center of the bridge, it became more aware that it wouldn't fit. It tried to turn back. Aelita grinned as she finished sommersaulting across the grassy beam. Too late. The Crab tried for a moment to scrape its legs against the surface, but to no avail. Aelita waved goodbye as it plummeted toward the digital sea far below.

Odd flipped through the shoe-box of CDs, frowning or shaking his head as he passed each one. "Aw, come on, I know I have it here somewhere…" He jerked up as Mike knocked on the door frame. "Oh, hey man, come on in."

Mike's eyes widened as he stepped into the room, trying not to crush any of the CD cases strewn about the floor. "What are you doing in here?"

"Uh…can I borrow your copy of TranceTracks, Volume 4? I've looked all over, but I can't find mine."

"Yeah sure, anything to keep you from having to tear the walls down. So you're sure you want to DJ this thing?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Aelita had to hand it to Xana—this was beyond genius. She had never even considered the possibility of using the time jump to reach across fifth-dimensional boundaries. She hadn't even thought it was possible. But now that she knew what he had done, and been able to reset the jump, she just had to get them here. That was going to be the hard part.

"Are you ready in there?" Ulrich stepped back as the door opened, and his jaw almost dropped. Sissi smiled sheepishly, swirling the frothy red gown around her feet.

"What do you think?"

"Wow, you look…" Sissi almost laughed. He was actually speechless. Over her. For just a moment, Yumi wasn't anywhere in his thoughts. Ulrich cleared his throat. "Uh, I guess we should get going."

Aelita dodged the Block's freeze ray and dove, head first, into the Tower. She took a deep breath. She didn't even know if this was going to work.

Odd and Yumi stepped into the gymnasium, strobe lights flashing around them as bass thundered through the speakers. Odd glanced up at the decor. "Wow. This is…intense." Yumi trailed after him as he wove his way toward the stage, where the turn-tables were positioned dead center. "I'm sorry we won't get to dance more. Duty calls."

Even over the music, Yumi could still here them, laughing, shouting, as they spun about to the left of the stage. She scoffed. He probably wanted it that way. "That's all right. I don't really feel like dancing."

Aelita closed her eyes and pressed the final control, the trigger that would summon them all to the factory, and bring her up to meet them. She didn't know if it was going to work. If only Jeremie was here…

Jeremie squinted. Mike leaned over and slapped his shoulder. "You okay, buddy?"

Jeremie nodded. "Yeah, I'm just a little…I don't know. Maybe I'm just tired." He would have joined Mike as he walked off toward the punchbowl, but he paused when he felt the phone vibrate in his back pocket. He flipped the cell phone out—it was a text message.

JEREMIE,

MEET ME IN THE OLD FACTORY ON THE RIVER.

-AELITA

His eyes were wide. What? What did it mean? Odd and Yumi were coming his way. Yumi nodded as they approached. "Hey, Jeremie, I know this might seem like kind of a weird question, but…we both just got this weird cell phone message—" Jeremie held up his phone. "What do you think it is? Who's Aelita?"

Jeremie shrugged. "Just some practical joke, maybe?"

Odd grinned. "Well, then, if someone went to all this trouble, the least we can do is go and beat them at their own game."

"I don't know, Odd…"

Yumi frowned. "Yeah, come on, don't be stupid…"

"Oh, lighten up, who'd want to pass on an adventure like this?" Yumi and Jeremie both raised their hands, smiling smugly. Odd rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't know what's going on here, but I'll know when I get to that factory. And if you don't come with me, I might die."

Jeremie shot Yumi a pleading glance as Odd walked off toward the doors. She sighed. "I know, I know." The two walked off after him, from the brightness and noise of the gym into the cold night air.

Ulrich squinted at the outline of the giant edifice built in the middle of the river. He'd been by it before, but he'd never really given it much thought. It was just a run-down, abandoned warehouse or something. Sissi huddled closer against the night chill. "Are you sure this is the place?"

He nodded as they crossed the bridge. "I'm sure. You know of any other abandoned factories sitting on top of rivers around here?"

"Well, what if it's a trick? Maybe Herb or Brandy set it up. They probably wouldn't mind knocking me down a peg after I…" She stopped and glanced down at the pavement passing under their feet.

Ulrich sighed and pulled her closer. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll protect you. You know that." They stepped apart as they reached the edge of a catwalk. The factory floor was dark, lit only by errant moonlight, and the main staircase down had rusted away. The only way down was frayed cable extending almost to the ground. Ulrich gestured toward the cable. "Ladies first."

When Ulrich reached the factory floor and turned around to look for Sissi, he caught a glimpse of flesh in the moonlight. He sighed in exasperation. What were they doing here?

Yumi crossed her arms. "Oh, great. I knew I smelled a rat."

Ulrich brushed into the group, Sissi slinking up beside him. "What's going on here? Odd, did you set this up?"

"Hey, lay off, man. I'm not the one who walked out on the group."

"Oh, that's so typical. We used to be pals, man, before you let Ishiyama get her claws into you…"

Yumi growled under her breath. "Shut up, Ulrich. Don't even try to pin this on me. If you were really such a great friend—"

The argument stopped as soon as they heard the sound. It wasn't a tap, as if someone was sneaking up on them, but a steady thrum, that of a generator or…all eyes went to the dark patch at the center of the floor. An elevator.

As the lift came up out of the ground, no one spoke. No one breathed. The first motions were when they squinted as the light from inside the metal box flooded their eyes.

When Jeremie's eyes came back into focus, he saw the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. She was like an angel—pink hair, a round face, and a broad smile. She was glad to see them.

Ulrich shoved his way forward. "Hey, what's the big idea, here? Who are you?"

She smiled, but something new filled her eyes. Sadness, maybe? Regret? It seemed like an eternity before she spoke. "My name is Aelita."

…

As Aelita finished talking, she looked around the control room at the others. They weren't exactly as she remembered them. Sissi was looking around in awe, Ulrich and Yumi were glancing around distrustfully, and Odd was trying to look unimpressed. Jeremie was staring straight at her. If the situation hadn't been so ridiculously desperate, Aelita might have laughed—some things never changed. "Well, that's it."

Odd glanced sidelong at Jeremie, then Yumi. Were they buying any of this? "So…this place is a giant supercomputer that contains a virtual reality?" Aelita nodded. "And we've all been to this virtual reality to fight a deadly computer virus that's trying to take over the world?" She nodded. "But we don't remember any of that because the virus reprogrammed the supercomputer to erase our memories when we…travelled back in time?"

"Quantum mechanically speaking, it's a little more complicated than that, but yes."

Odd clucked his tongue. "Huh. And what's the name of psychiatric institution you've escaped from?"

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "It's after sundown, you can stop being a jerk, Odd."

"Oh, come on, man, I knew you had lousy judgement…" Sissi bristled, "…but you can't honestly be buying this."

"You have a better explanation for all this stuff down here?"

Odd shrugged. "Maybe we're on TV. One of those hidden camera shows."

Sissi shook her head. "Yeah, 'World's Worst Science Fiction Plots'."

"No one asked you."

Yumi sighed. "Jeremie, what do you think?"

The blond glanced at them, then back at Aelita. She squinted, practically in tears. "Jeremie, please. You have to remember."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." He stood up. "But then, if you're telling the truth, I wouldn't, would I?"

Odd's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious. This is ridiculous."

Ulrich stood up. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but…I'm with you, Jeremie."

Yumi sighed. "Yeah, me too."

Sissi shook her head. "You guys are all crazy."

"I can't believe _I'm_ saying this, but I agree with Sissi. This is nuts."

Jeremie wrinkled his nose. "Odd, come on…" Aelita slipped her hand onto his shoulder.

"No, it's all right. The four of us should be able to handle this. We can't force them."

Jeremie turned to the computer chair. "So…are you going to teach me how to work this thing, or what?" Aelita grinned.

"…then route the signal from the scanner tunnel to the coordinates triangulated from the holomap. It's easy." Jeremie nodded, and slowly, glanced up to meet Aelita's gaze. She smiled. "What is it?"

Jeremie cleared his throat. "You…you said we know each other?"

"Yes." Aelita glanced back down at him, and the spark of recognition flashed through her eyes. She blushed. "And yes."

Jeremie coughed, and straightened in his seat, and suddenly stared very directly at the monitor. "Good. I mean, right. Just wanted to make sure."

Odd rolled his eyes. He couldn't remember Jeremie ever getting this bent out of shape over a pretty face before. "You really believe what she's saying?"

Yumi shrugged. "I can't exactly think up a more logical way of explaining this."

"And it has nothing to do with Ulrich standing up first?" Yumi glared at him. "I just think that maybe you should concentrate more on—"

"Odd? Don't think."

"You're seriously buying this?"

Ulrich shrugged. "Unless you can think up something that makes sense, yeah. I'm buying it."

"Sure you don't just want to be back with your old group?" Ulrich glared at her. "I'm just saying, if you concentrate on the past too much—"

"Sissi? For once, just shut up all right?"

"Ulrich, Yumi?" All eyes swung toward Jeremie. "I think we're ready to try this."

Ulrich and Yumi brushed away from their respective companions, falling into step behind Aelita as she moved toward the elevator. As the door rushed open, Odd glanced over at Sissi. She sent him a shrug. They were all crazy. Odd sighed and shook his head, even as he and Sissi were jogging toward the closing lift. "Hey, guys, wait up!"

…

"Transfer—Odd. Transfer—Sissi." Jeremie's shoulders had started to relax. There was nothing to it. "Scanner—Odd. Scanner—Sissi. Virtualization."

Odd cursed himself under his breath. Why did Ulrich always have to be right about everything? When he and Sissi landed, Ulrich gave him a self-satisfied smile. Odd glared. "Oh, shut up. We still might all be crazy."

Jeremie leaned the microphone toward his face. "Uh, so, what am I supposed to be looking for?"

Aelita's voice bounced back through the headset. "The Tower where I've set up the rewind calculations is in the southeast corner of the Glacier. I've marked it on your screens."

Jeremie clicked a few keys. "All right, there it is. Just keep heading east of your current position. Eventually you should see it off to the…uh, left."

Ulrich nodded and stepped forward. Yumi was close behind him. Aelita stepped into the middle of the group as it inched forward, more cautious than she'd ever seen them. "Jeremie, are there any monsters nearby?" He didn't respond. She sighed, and smiled. "The little red dots?"

"Right, right. Uh…no, nothing yet. I'll keep you posted."

Sissi and Odd were holding up the rear, weapon arms readied, swinging across the open landscape. Sissi leaned to Odd. "Can you believe this?"

He shrugged. "Like I said, we might just all be going crazy."

"That's the explanation you prefer?" Odd glanced over. Sissi looked down. "Yeah, I know, just shut my big mouth."

Odd sighed. "Sissi, its not…I don't hate you."

"But you blame me, right?"

Odd thought about it. It would be easier if he could think that she tore them apart. "No. I don't know who I blame. Ulrich being with you, it's just another sign that those two need to learn how to talk like big kids."

Sissi nodded. "Thanks. You are wrong about one thing, though…Ulrich's not with me." Odd glanced up, curious. "When he's laughing at my jokes, when he's asking about my day, even when he's kissing me…he's with her." They swiveled their heads toward the front of the group. Ulrich and Yumi weren't looking at each other, at least not both at the same time. She shrugged. "I guess you know something about that, huh?"

Odd's gaze flicked back to Yumi. He snorted. "Yeah. I guess I do."

"Sometimes I think everybody'd be happier if those two got over themselves."

"Yeah, try telling them that." Odd stared off into the blue abyss that ringed the ice platforms stretching out in all directions. Then he looked back at Sissi. "Wouldn't it show them, if we started going out?"

Sissi giggled. "Yeah, I bet they'd get the message then." Odd laughed…then chuckled…then cleared his throat. Then no one was talking.

Ulrich was about to say something stupid. Probably that he was sorry. Maybe how much he cared about her. Luckily, Jeremie interrupted. "Uh, guys, I've got a few signals moving toward you."

Ulrich breathed a sigh of relief and unsheathed the sword. "Where are they?"

"They're coming up behind you. Four of them…crabs. I think."

Aelita turned around as the yellow shapes crowned the icy ridge. "Blocks. Good guess, though." She glanced around—they were looking a little uneasy. She sighed. If this didn't work, she doubted they'd ever get back into fighting form. "Ulrich, Yumi, you come with me to the Tower. Can you two cover us?"

Sissi grinned nervously and shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

The first block fired as the rest of the group disappeared over the next ridge. Odd levelled his paw and squinted. "Laser Arrow!" The golden arrowhead nicked the monster's leg. Odd winced.

Sissi flipped a shuriken between her fingers and let go. The metal star buried itself in the closest block, in the center of the black eye across its face. The cube spun, then collapsed. Sissi's eyes widened. Odd nodded appreciatively. "Nice shot."

Sissi smiled and shrugged. Then she cried out. The red glow faded and electricity sparked across the ninja's leg as she fell back. Launching himself off one foot, Odd dove toward her as the block fired, letting three darts fly. The second hit the eye, and Odd grabbed Sissi's hand as the robot melted away. She grinned. "Nice shot." Odd smiled and shrugged.

Odd's next three shots missed, but two of Sissi's struck a block's surface. She grunted as the last monster hit her in the shoulder. Odd fired two shots to catch the monster's attention. When the block turned, the blue crystal on bottom of its chasis was glowing. Odd wondered what that meant. He was in the process of wondering when the freeze ray hit his face.

Jeremie blinked as Sissi's card disappeared from the screen. "Aelita, something…Sissi's gone!"

"It's all right. She's been sent back to the real world. She's safe and sound in the scanner room."

Odd groaned as the ice sheath around him dissolved. He fired, but the arrow glanced off the block's corner. He lined up hs next shot and…heard a clicking noise. "Huh? Jeremie, I think I ran out of arrows."

Aelita nodded, running at the front of the group headed for the Tower. "You'll have to reload them."

"What? How do I do that?" Jeremie glanced around at the screens frantically.

Odd winced at the light as he leaned out of the scanner. He felt like the breath had been knocked out of his body. "Never mind."

…

"Yumi, Ulrich, there are more monsters coming in behind you! Three signals, coming in fast."

Ulrich stepped forward while Yumi fell back to guard Aelita. He smiled. He was starting to get the hang of this.

The trio of giant black spheres that appeared out of the distance dampened his spirits considerably. "Aelita, what are those things?"

Aelita glanced over Yumi's shoulder. "They're called Megatanks. You'll have to be very careful—they could take any of us out in just two hits."

Ulrich's eyes flitted between the 'tanks as they rolled forward. "I don't see any target eyes on them."

"They're on the inside. You can only destroy them when they open their shells to fire." The first robot screwed open, its eye glinting as orange energy began to collect around it. "Scatter!"

Yumi pushed Aelita behind a pillar of ice as the wall of energy sliced through the air. Ulrich careened over their heads, the near miss of the blast sending him flying with the debris. "How am I supposed to hit that thing before it fires?"

"Use your super speed!"

The samurai rolled onto his feet, quickly shrinking down behind the next boulder of ice. "My what?"

"You can move really fast."

"How?"

Aelita stopped. She didn't really know. "I'm not sure. Just, say 'Super Sprint,' will it to happen. Do something!"

Ulrich shook his head. This was ridiculous. "Super Sprint!" As he leapt up from behind his cover, something seemed different. He glanced at Yumi. She was turning back toward the column, shielding Aelita, but she was moving so slowly. He heard the warped sound as one of the 'tanks fired, but the beam crawled forward at a fraction of the speed he'd seen before. It didn't take much to dodge the laser wall and run up to the monster as it started to close. His blade slipped into the eye and, without even thinking, Ulrich lifted his feet, letting the momentum of the blow carry him over the top of the robot. The edges of his vision blurred, and the scrap of the Megatank flew past his shoulder at what he could only assume was its normal speed. "Cool."

The next 'tank had already opened its shell. "Ulrich!" Yumi watched in horror as the wall of energy pushed Ulrich to the edge of the ice platform. It was about to fire again when Yumi dove forward, fan cutting into the monster's core. Yumi stopped just short of the final monster's blast. Ulrich wasn't so lucky. He hadn't been hit, she was sure of that, or he would have been—what was the word Aelita had told them—devirtualized? Regardless, the force of the blast was near enough to push him over the edge. Yumi herself was practically half-way over the edge when her fingers grabbed his wrist.

Aelita saw the last 'tank open. She closed her eyes and, slowly, the code of the island beneath them weaved across her view. She smiled as the platform under the 'tank dissolved, sending the black orb tumbling below to splash, rather unceremoniously, into the digital sea.

Yumi could feel her hand start to slip. She turned back up to see Aelita emerge from behind the ice. "Aelita, go! I can't hold on much longer!"

The Tower wasn't far. As Aelita ran, she glanced back at Yumi as she struggled to keep Ulrich from following the Megatank into the depths. She smiled to herself—it was a pity that they couldn't remember the last time this had happened, when the tables were turned. They faded from view as the blue of the Tower engulfed her.

Yumi was pulling as hard as she could. Ulrich had managed to swing his other hand onto the ice, and was trying to lift himself up. Yumi could feel his weight shifting upward.

The moment Ulrich rose onto the glacier, Yumi's strength gave out. Falling back, Yumi looked up to see Ulrich, sprawled on top of her, arms shaking. There was something in his eyes. It might have looked like fear, but she still knew him well enough to recognize it as regret.

Aelita shifted the last panel to the left, and the windows began to blink in sequence. The coordinates had been set. "Jeremie. It's time. Just like I showed you."

"Yumi, I…"

Yumi shook her head. "Don't. Just don't." She leaned up, as far as she could under his weight. When his face drew down to hers, she pressed her lips against his, the raw emotion of the kiss making up for the absence of physical sensation. She pulled her face back from his, and smiled. She'd wanted to do that for years.

Jeremie tapped the last key. He sure hoped Aelita was right. About him. About them. About everything. "Return to the past, now!"

Yumi buried her head in Ulrich's shoulder and sighed. It was a slow dance, the music was drifting over them, and they were swaying across the floor. "This dance was a wonderful idea."

Ulrich smiled. "Yeah. I guess something good came out of all this."

Odd tapped him on the shoulder. Sissi had her arm wrapped around his waist. "Mind if we cut in?"

With a chuckle, Ulrich took Sissi's hand as Odd took Yumi's. Odd smiled at Ulrich as the couples swung around each other. "You know, all things considered, I think this worked out pretty well."

"Yeah, I certainly am glad to have that obnoxious, whiny Sissi out of my hair." Sissi grinned, mouth open in shock.

"I know what you mean. If I'd had to spend another minute with that domineering, mean-spirited Yumi, I don't know what I would have done." Yumi giggled as she pushed Odd off into the crowd.

Without missing a beat, Ulrich picked up her hand as Sissi twirled back toward Odd. Yumi smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "There, isn't that better?"

The chuckling died down as the others followed Odd's finger to the other side of the gym. Aelita looked around in wonder, fingers wrapped around Jeremie's. As the couple walked over, the others stopped dancing. "Hey, Einstein. Glad to be back to your old self?"

Jeremie smiled, and shrugged. Aelita hugged him closer. "Well I, for one, couldn't be happier."

Jeremie blushed. "We were just headed out for some air."

Odd nodded. "We'll come with you."

The park benches were cool, but not yet cold; the music floated across the night air. Yumi smiled. It felt so good to be back to normal. She could still remember everything that had happened in Xana's timeline, but Jeremie said it should get less confusing with time.

Sissi stretched out, finally letting her arms come to rest around Odd's shoulders. "I still can't believe Xana could pull something like this off."

Ulrich nodded. "Yeah, I mean, we were as good as gone. Thanks, Aelita."

Aelita shrugged. What were friends for?

"Xana's definitely getting more powerful. I don't know how much longer we can keep our edge."

Jeremie smiled, reaching into his backpack—grabbed from its discreet place along the gym wall—and fishing out his laptop. "Funny you should mention that, Odd." He booted up the system and opened the four folders that held the schematics for his new programs. Overbike. Overboard. Overwing. Overwheel. He swiveled the computer around so they could see the designs. The shape of things to come. "I think I have just the thing…"


End file.
